JUSTICE is nearer for a Wagga rape victim after her brutal attacker admitted his horrific crime when confronted with damning DNA evidence.

Phillip Scott Harris, who turned 49 only last Sunday, pleaded guilty in Wagga Local Court on Wednesday to two principal offences: aggravated sexual assault and aggravated break and enter and commit robbery.

Three other offences to which he also pleaded guilty – sexual intercourse without consent, attempted sexual assault without consent and assault with an act of indecency – will be taken into account when Harris is sentenced in Wagga District Court on a date to be fixed.

Harris attacked a woman in her Best Street home unit on the night of July 11, 1999.

For almost 15 years, his victim wondered if her assailant would get away with his atrocities.

But then police told her in 2014 that DNA obtained from Harris while he was a prisoner in the Australian Capital Territory matched a crime scene sample.

Harris was extradited from the ACT in May last year after his sentence there expired.

The victim’s nightmare began when Harris broke into her home as she watched a movie.

When she first saw Harris, wearing gloves and with a balaclava over his head, she thought someone was playing a joke on her.

But then Harris said: “Don’t scream, bitch, or I’ll bash you” and put his left hand over her face.

Harris robbed the woman of $70 before tying her up and sexually assaulting her.

The woman’s immediate ordeal ended only when Harris ran out the front door.